HUDDERSFIELD 1 WATFORD 0

TOM INCE has been struggling with the “tear you apart again” bit of his theme song for some time now.

So much so, that before his 30-minute cameo he could have counted the number of goals he’d managed this season with the aid of a middle finger salute to his critics.

He can add another digit to that hand gesture now after becoming David Wagner’s miracle man and putting Huddersfield within touching distance of Premier League safety.

Ince is unlikely to score a more crucial goal or spark more manic scenes – even if he does go back to justifying the reworking of the Joy Division anthem – than he did in the dying embers here.

This was a game Wagner and Co had to win and never looked likely to until substitute Ince came up with the one crucial shot on target Huddersfield managed all game.

It was scruffy, fortunate and owed much to the awful Watford defending, but for the locals in the John Smith’s Stadium it was a thing of beauty.

Wagner has said all along getting to the Premier League was a fairy tale, staying there will be a miracle.

“Maybe he knew it was time for a miracle. I am so pleased for him. He had to wait a long time to score his first goal and he had some bad luck,” said Wagner.

“I disagree that he’s had a difficult season, because he has contributed in many ways. Obviously I would have liked him to score more goals like all my forwards.

“But this is a wonderful goal for him and for the club. It could be priceless.”

The party will have gone on long into last night and this morning the seven-point gap between Wagner and those in the bottom three of the table looks a huge chasm.

He and his players are not exactly on the beach just yet with Everton, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea still to play, but they are pulling into the airport car park. The scenes of jubilation